iPhone

Today's foray into the world of mobile accessories is brought to you by Elvis. That's right, Elvis.

We at the Pure Mobile blog haven't been able to get the song Blue Christmas out of our heads all day. So thanks to The King, we're bringing you some of our top picks for blue iPhone 5 cases this holiday season.

After staring our 'Mobile Accessory of the Week' feature on the Pure Mobile blog last week, we're back with another great accessory review. Last week it was all about toys, with an iPhone-controlled monster truck that we'll admit is more fun than practical.

But this week, we're getting into the real essentials, with the only thing that stands between you and a busted iPhone – a good case.

One of the top picks for iPhone protection, OtterBox has mastered the balance between rugged and cool, with their Defender line of ultra-resistent but design-conscious cases for iPhone 4, 4S and 5.

OtterBox Defender Case for iPhone 5 in Pink Realtree Camo

With a three-layer design that combines hard-shell and silicone layers with a built-in screen protector, OtterBox's Defender Case gives you the best of both worlds – the durability of a hard case and the shock absorption of a soft case.

And though the Defender case acts like a bullet-proof vest for your iPhone, it certainly doesn't have to look like one. OtterBox has been clever enough to offer looks for all tastes.

Sometimes, OtterBox's choice of design even goes beyond looks. The company itself has recommended their Realtree Camo Defender case for iPhone 4 and 4S as an accessory for hunters, promising "we've got the protection that withstands the punishment you endure."

The upcoming 2012 Presidential Election is likely to be more closely followed on mobile devices than any other in U.S. history. Voters will be keeping up with the election on their smartphones with polls and political news, as well as on social media.

But how, exactly, will smartphones figure into this election and, ultimately, who will smartphone owners be voting for?

Mashable reported on a new study from ad network Mojiva, which surveyed smartphone owners 18 and up to get answers to some of those questions.

According to Mojiva, people who use smartphones are more likely to vote for Obama on November 6. 47% of those polled said they identify themselves as Democrats, while only 28% identified themselves as Republicans.

Either way, 82% of respondents said they are planning to vote – a very high rate compared to the actual voter turnout for the past two elections which were below 60%.

In the lead-up to voting day, more Democrats than Republicans will be reading political news on their smartphones (63% vs. 59%), but more Republicans than Democrats will be researching the candidates (53% vs. 50%).

Come election day, over half of respondents said that they would be using an iPhone or an Android-powered smartphone to check results throughout the day.

But many of the respondents said they would use their phone to do even more if they could. When asked if they would use their smartphone to vote if they had the option to, 59% said they would, while a whopping 85% said they would at least consider doing so.

What about you? Do you plan on using your smartphone to follow the elections? If so, how? Let us know in the comments section.

The big Apple event everyone was waiting for took place today. Now we have the iPhone 5 to line up for later this month.

Here is a summary of what the iPhone 5 is all about:

A 4-inch screen with a resolution of 1,136 x 640 or 326 pixels per inch - still a “retina” display, as Apple defines it. The larger screen has a widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio. The iPhone 5 is a little bit longer because of this, but it accommodates six rows of apps on the screen: five rows on the “pages” along with the permanent single row along the bottom.

The case is made of aluminum and measures 7.6mm thick - 18 percent thinner than the iPhone 4S. It's also 20 percent lighter at 112 grams.

The new Retina panel is 1136 x 640, which clocks in at 326ppi. It also provides better color saturation with full sRGB rendering.

The iPhone's A6 processor has been significantly shrunk down in size yet gives more powerful performance. The claim is that it doubles CPU and graphics capabilities. The result is pages loading up 2.1x faster than iPhone 4’s speed.

The smaller processor is also more energy efficient. It should provide 8 hours of talk time even with the LTE. When using Wi-Fi you should get 10 hours of life out of the device.

The camera is about the same as the one in the iPhone 4S, just a little bit slimmer. It's a backlit 8 megapixel sensor with a 5 element lens and an f/2.4 aperture. The shutter speed is supposed to be 40 percent faster. There's also a new panoramic shooting mode.

The iWork suite, Garage Band and iMovie have all been updated.

Older apps will still work, and they’ll be displayed in a letterbox format until Apple provides an update.

Yes, the iPhone 5 has high-speed 4G LTE capability and still has HSPA+, EV-DO and EDGE capability. In the U.S., AT&T, Sprint and Verizon will all support its 4G LTE connectivity. In Canada, Rogers, Telus and Bell will also have 4G.

The launch of the iPhone 5 will undoubtedly put Apple back on top. Over the last quarter, sales of the older iPhone models have dropped significantly - from 35.1 million to 26 million. That’s all going to change now. Some analysts are predicting Apple will sell 10 million units in just the first three weeks.

Name: You can almost bet the farm that the new name will be iPhone 5. The only other contender would be the “New iPhone”, following in the tradition of the “New iPad.”

Design: A slimmer, longer, but not as wide, case. A two-toned color scheme. Possibly a metal back like the original iPhone.

Screen: A four-inch screen with a different aspect ratio than the 4S. A 640x1,136-pixel-resolution screen would allow an extra row of icons on the home screen. This would provide apps with extra screen space above the virtual keyboard, and a better fix for HD videos in landscape mode.

Dock connector: A completely new 8-pin connector that will take up less space than the old 30-pin that’s been in use forever. The downside of losing that 30-pin dust collector - the old accessories and cables will be obsolete. Let’s hope Apple provides an adapter.

Connectivity: 4G LTE has got to be a certainty. Apple did it for the New iPad, and lack of 4G LTE wireless has been a big beef of even the most loyal Apple fans.

Processor: A couple of alternatives here. A quad-core A6 processor be a more advanced CPU than what's in the third-gen iPad’s A5X processor (with a dual-core CPU and quad-core graphics). The new iPhone might possibly have a smaller A5X processor with the same power but more compact design.

iOS 6: Many older Apple devices will get the iOS 6 upgrade, but Apple has also indicated that a few features like the new Maps app’s turn-by-turn navigation will only be available on the latest iPhone and iPad models.

What the iPhone 5 probably won’t have:

NFC might not be possible with the slimness of the case

Expect only minor camera upgrades. Apple has made significant camera improvements in the last three iPhone models. Look for smaller tweaks like multiburst or a better flash.

Other rumors have the iPad Mini or new iPods making their debuts alongside the iPhone 5. Don’t bet on it. Apple will want to get as much mileage out of the buzz with multiple new product announcements. The latest talk on the street has an iPhone launch in September, and an iPad Mini launch in October.

The iPhone 5 release is only weeks away, and Apple is already planning for turnover. If you’re willing to hand over your old iPhone 4S when it releases the new 5, Apple will give you a $345 Apple gift card.

Through its Reuse and Recycling program, Apple plans to offer the gift cards in exchange the older model. Whether or not you are eligible for the trade depends on the condition of your 4S.

The first step in determining whether you’ve got a phone that Apple wants is to get an evaluation from Apple’s online wizard. The wizard lets you select the model, color and condition of your iPhone 4S then it will crank out an estimated value of the device. Obviously, scratches, water damage, or other flaws will diminish the value of your phone.

Their Reuse and Recycling program applies to other Apple devices, including iPads, Macs and even PC computers. The program has you send in your device to Apple for assessment. They’ll determine the exchange value and get back to you. If they say it’s not eligible for reimbursement, you can still turn your device over to Apple for recycling.

Gift cards can be used at any Apple retail or online store. Although you still have to shell out the money for the iPhone 5, this is a decent way to offset the cost of all the extras you will absolutely have to have for your new device.

Just for comparison, vendors on online shopping sites like eBay have iPhone 4S inventory. Some listings show the device going upwards of $500.

Apple may have some revolutionary new earbuds for us to go along with next month’s iPhone launch.

In a patent filed earlier this year, Apple described a “vented in-the-ear headphones” design that reduces the echo of your own voice that you sometimes hear when you're on the phone. The patent that got approved yesterday claims the invention “aims to improve the sound quality by venting or leakage.”

It apparently works like this: When external vibrations caused from the sound within earphones bounce against the skull or other parts of the body near the ear, sound quality is reduced. Apple’s earbud design has a “vented tip” that forms a seal within the ear canal. As stated in Apple’s patent filing, “This provides the wearer with good acoustic isolation against external sounds.”

This is good acoustic news for all of us who’ve tried carrying on a phone conversation while exercising or even walking on a noisy street. Now let’s hope Apple lets those new earbuds loose with that new iPhone.

Apple, app developers and hacks alike have all been frustrated by the secret to improved battery life. Well, it looks like BattSaver might be one answer.

BattSaver is a new jailbreak tweak by xVolks, a company of iPhone hackers. BattSaver could potentially up to double the battery life of an iPhone. BattSaver identifies features in the smartphone that are draining its battery life and suppresses them.

BattSaver concentrates on iPhone radios, i.e. Wi-Fi and cellular connections. The jailbreak tweak manages power usage when iPhone radios are enabled and disabled. Theoretically, this gives the device an increase in battery life.

BattSaver allows users to choose one of four saving strategies:

• Normal mode: When the iPhone is “sleeping”, BattSaver disables all radio signals. The iPhone will still check for new email every 15 minutes.
• Aggressive mode: If Wi-Fi is connected, BattSaver disables the data connection completely. The idea here is if the phone is already Wi-Fi connected, don’t waste battery power with a data connection in-waiting.
• Ultimate mode: This mode completely disables all radio signals. It’s almost the same as a smartphone’s Airplane Mode.
• Custom: Allows countless configurations for BattSaver - perfect for jailbreakers.

The BattSaver jailbreak tweak is available for download in the Cydia Store for $2.99.

We’ll, it looks like there just might be some substance to the patent infringement mudslinging that has been going on, at least in this one instance of the Apple vs. Samsungtablet battle.

This week, U.S. District Court Judge Lucy Koh banned the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Android tablet from sales in the U.S. In Koh’s ruling, she stated, ”Although Samsung has a right to compete, it does not have a right to compete unfairly, by flooding the market with infringing products.”

This ban is a victory for Apple in the U.S. where it has kept up a constant stream of patent lawsuits against its competition, but it’s probably not the huge one that Apple would like. The ban only affects the Galaxy Tab 10.1, a tablet that was introduced more than a year ago, and Samsung is almost ready with its replacement – the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1.

U.S.-based retailers will be allowed to sell their remaining Galaxy Tab 10.1 inventories, and the new Galaxy Tab version is not affected by the ruling.

Apple who brought the world the successful products like iPhone 4S and iPad 3, will shut down its failed social network and music sharing service Ping later this year. Ping’s demise will be timed with Apple’s debut of its next major iTunes release in the fall. According to All Things D, Apple will pull the plug on Ping and focus its social networking efforts on Twitter and Facebook integration.

Apple designed Ping, in part, to keep iTunes users browsing in the iTunes store and encouraging them to regularly purchase more music. Apple launched Ping in September 2010, but Apple fans never got caught up in their usual Apple product frenzy. Apple tried a couple of times to remind users that Ping was the place for social music sharing, but it never caught on.